Bridgeton pioneer. (Bridgeton, N.J.) 1884-1919, 1887-06-23
CLOSE OF SCHOOL YEAR.
South Jersey Institute Com
mencement in Moore's
Opera House.
A Brilliant Entertainment.

| Very brilliant did the interior of the
Opera House appear last Thursday as
the great array of beauty was spread
before the gaze of the large audience
which found its way into Moore's
Opera House to witness the commence
ment exercises of the graduating class
of the South Jersey Institute.
The stage never appeared to better
advantage than it did to-day. Beauti
| full pot flowers lined the foot lights and
handsome branches about the stage.
Seated upon the platform were the
faculty of the Institute and number
of eminent divines. The eighteen
members of the graduating class sat
upon the right of the the Principal
who was seated in the centre. The
costumes of the ladies were rich and
handsome, equalled only by the beau
tiful faces of the wearer. In the Or
chestra box sat eight members of
the great Germania Orchestra from
Philadelphia, which rendered superb
music for the occasion.
! A brilliant march, "Rosita," from
Sleitath, commenced the program,
and was followed by prayer by u
clergyman from Philadelphia. Then
the orchestra was heard again in the
song ''The Palms. from Faure.
Prof. Trask then announced an
essay by Miss Fannie C. Smalley-
Conservatism an Element of Prog
ress." The young lady in calm, meas
ured tones, handled her subject in
very commendable manner, seldom
referring to the manuscript which she
held in her hand. After the applause
which followed her excellent produc-
tion had died away, Harry E. Bullock,
Omlaystown, N. Y, was announced
to deliver an grafton on the subject,
The Carboniferous Age Very plain
ly did the young man tell of the great
ages through which the world had
passed, and of the wonderful secrets
possessed in the earth. Miss Mary B.
Crane had been excused from deliver
ing her essay ON Enthusiasm an Ele-
ment of Success" and the orchestra
played "Chimes of Normandy"
Joshua Richman, of Malaga, then
rendered his grafton on Industrial
Training" He went carefully over
the different sources of training and
gave his opinion as to the manner in
which the young idea should shoot.
He thought that students, especially
among the poor, were taken from
school too young, and made to pursue
one course of work which ruined them
for all intellectual effort.
Miss Tillie NJ. Tullis, of Elmer, had
chosen for the subject of her essay
Mental Weakness The men, she
said, who had no fixed purpose in their
minds, and wandered from time to
time, were mentally weak.
"Who is Happy" was the subject Of
Stanisliff ]. Shoomkoff, of Bulgaria.
He showed at once that he was a
thorough orator and used excellent
language. He asked the question who
is Happy?H Not the king, not the poet,
but the man who has pure and vir
tuous heart. Every man can be happy.
That which degrades man most is false
debase action. Re good, and frown on
evil, aud thus all men from the highest
mark to the lowest can be happy. The
young mans brilliant effort was warm
ly applauded.
The beautiful waltz Sweet Heart"
from Strauss, was next rendered by
the orchestra.
The essay Life of a Post Graduate
Course, by Miss Hattie A. Manning,
of Red Bank, was next announced.
"School is over. The books are laid
away" she said. That was the feeling
of some to-day. Too many, she said,
thought that the receiving of a cove
ted diploma was the end of life's work.
Indeed it was only the commencing.
To-day we stand with but the prelimi-
naries Of the life we have to live. 1t is
our duty to be successful and we
should use the means at hand to do So.
We should read solid works and not
too much light literature. The young
of this day are injuring their minds
with thii class of literature. Our pur-
pose in life should be to influence
Others to live upright and true lives.
The young lady supported her subject
grandly, and well earned the applause
which W As bestowed upon her.
John \. R. Folsom had chosen for
his subject 'The Abolition of Capital
Punishment" He thought that if So
ciety cou ID be protected from the man
lac, we could protect society from the
murdered who is far less dangerous.
The gallows had no divine sanction
| whatever and the cOmmandma was